The present invention relates to a money discriminating apparatus for use in money handling machines such as, for example, automatic vending machines and money exchange machines in which bills and coins can be utilized.
In general, a money handling machine such as an automatic vending machine and a money exchange machine is limited in overall size or dimension from the viewpoint of installation space. In view of this, various attempts have been made to reduce the overall dimension of the money handling machine by the use of special component parts and special techniques in a money discriminating apparatus incorporated in the money handling machine. However, such attempts often cause a complication in construction of the money discriminating apparatus as is in the conventional apparatuses, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost of the money handling machine.
The above-described conventional money handling apparatus comprises a coin discriminating unit which is divided broadly into two types including a mechanical type in which authenticity and kind of coins are discriminated in a mechanical manner, and an electronic type in which authenticity and kind of coins are discriminated in an electronic manner. In either case of the mechanical and electronic types, the coins successively roll down under the gravity along a coin transporting path, and the coin discriminating unit discriminates the authenticity and kind of the coins during successive rolling-down of the coins along the coin transporting path. Accordingly, there might occur such a problem that if adhesive contamination adheres to the coins, they lodge in the coin transporting path. Further, in case of the coin discriminating unit of mechanical type, if the coins successively rolling down along the coin transporting path jump midway of the path, the coin discriminating unit cannot correctly discriminate the authenticity and kind of the coins. In particular, the coin discriminating unit employing a cradle might discriminate in error counterfeit coins as being genuine ones, if the entire money discriminating apparatus is inclined.
The usual electronic coin discriminating unit comprises a signal generating coil and a signal receiving coil which are arranged in confronting relation to each other through the coil transporting path. The arrangement is such that the electronic coin discriminating unit measures attenuation voltage wave form occurring in the signal receiving coil when the coins rolling down along the coin transporting path passes successively between both the coils, thereby discriminating the coins. It is desirable for such arrangement that the coins successively rolling down along the coin transporting path are constant in speed. However, the speed of the coins successively rolling down along the coin transporting path varies depending upon humidity and contamination at the coin transporting path. Accordingly, the coin discriminating unit is required to take variation in speed of the coins into consideration in order to correctly discriminate the authenticity and kind of the coins. This results in a complication in construction of the coin discriminating unit, and also results in an increase in the manufacturing cost of the entire money discriminating apparatus.